We are just a few weeks away from Christmas and if you are like us, you are trying to figure out what to get your kids and everyone else on your list. From board games to craft kids and imaginative play, we share some of our favorite things to add to your holiday gift list.
GETTING COZY BY THE FIREPLACE
Our winter break is usually filled with getting cozy by the fireplace and watching our favorite Christmas movies. But anyone with younger kids knows how anxious you can get with little kids and a fire. That is why we love Wonder and Wise Happy Hearth Fireplace. It has a pretend roaring fire, cookies and hot cocoa, stockings and lights. Our kids enjoyed reading their favorite Christmas books by the fire and even pretended they were Santa coming down the chimney! It is easy to put together, our kids helped us put it together. This is also a great option if you don’t have a fireplace in your house. It definitely can help create a festive atmosphere and is kid-friendly. We paired it with the tree stump pouf which makes for great reading spots or for “roasting” chestnuts on the open fire. We love Wonder and Wise. From RVs and teepees to pretend makeup kits and playfood, they have so many great sets to inspire imaginative play.
S.T.E.A.M. CENTRIC WITH EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS CIRCUIT EXPLORER SETS
When you see circuits they are generally boards, but Educational Insights wanted to give an off board experience and integrate creative play with their Circuit Explorer sets where your child follows the system lines and can watch vehicles move, dishes spin, lights, sound and more… it’s all about how power works and why.
Circuit Explorer teaches the fundamentals of circuitry through out-of-this world playsets kids can build and power themselves. By following the simple circuits and harnessing their imaginations, kids 6+ can use the system-ready pieces to construct their creations, connecting them to STEM-based learning as they play.
LEARNING TO CARE FOR OTHERS WITH COROLLE DOLLS
Growing up one of our favorite toys to play with were our dolls. We could spend hours “rocking” our baby or dressing her up. Now, as moms we love seeing our girls care for their Corolle babies. They have different size dolls for each age category. Ranging from their Soft Baby dolls that can be introduced as early as birth to their larger dolls “Mon Grand Poupon” for ages 2 and up. A fun stocking stuffer is getting an outfit for your child’s doll. From ballerina outfits to winter accessories, there are so many fun options. Corolle also has all of the items that a baby might “need” too. Our girls adore using their stroller and taking their babies for a walk. We love watching our girls nurture their babies and how that carries over into everyday life as they meet their new baby cousins.
CLASSIC CHRISTMAS WITH FELTMAN BROTHERS
The holiday season is full of creating wonderful memories and whether we hit the town, or need to stay at home like this year, Feltman Brothers has everything from comfortable knits to the special occasion gowns, they have been with our family for all the milestone moments.
We absolutely love how Feltman Brothers feature the classy, antique look we love, with lots of lace trim, smocking, handmade pintucks, and hand embroidery. The attention to detail is what keeps the brand a mainstay for more than 100 years. From smocked dresses and bubbles for your baby girl, to bobby suits and rompers for your baby boy Feltman Brothers oozes quality. Perfect for holiday attire or gifts like those in their vintage accessory line including baby bonnets, booties, diaper sets, and even their true-to-life Feltman dolls.
TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH GEOSAFARI JR. TALKING CAMERA
Travel might be limited right now, but you can still expand your kids’ horizons with Educational Insights Geosafari Jr. Talking Camera. This can be a great gift for your student as they head into the new year or even for a teacher to have in their classroom. Kids will enjoy looking at the 130 built-in HD images and hearing Robert Irwin share over 200 facts/quizzes. The images of wildlife will spark your child as they go on their own safari. Robert Irwin co-stars in Animal Planet’s “Crikey It’s the Irwins,” and is also a Wildlife Warrior for the Australia Zoo. Our kids love the quiz feature on the Geosafari Jr. line. They may not know the answers quite yet, but they love trying to guess and learn new things along the way.
SNUGGLE THE SEASON WITH TULA THROWS
From parks and zoos to travel and shopping, we love our Tula Blankets. The viscose from bamboo fabric is specially woven to create a luxuriously soft fabric that is breathable and maintains its thickness and durability, which allows for airflow to skin, making it easier to regulate temperature and stay comfortable.
The larger Cuddle Me throws are perfect for family movie night, curling up on the couch with a good book, or just relaxing. We each have to have our own (even though they are definitely made to share) because the kids love specific patterns and designs. The holiday collection is perfect for anyone on your nice list.
FAMILY GAME NIGHT WITH EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS
If the weather outside is frightful, board games can make the day so delightful! We have also found it helpful to have a little board game for the kids to play while the adults finish dinner. Some of our favorites include Educational Insights’ Wiggle Waggle Whiskers, Sneaky Snacky Squirrel, and Pancake Pileup. There are also lots of fun options for older kids and family game night too including Kanoodle, After Words and Freeze Up. The kids love playing and competing with one another and we love that they are not only learning about cooperation, taking turns and sportsmanship but Educational Insights games always incorporate things like motor skills, math, matching and more.
CHRISTMAS CRAFTING WITH CREATIVITY FOR KIDS
One of our favorite Christmas traditions is making Christmas ornaments. We love putting the name and date on the back of each one and then when we decorate the tree the following years, we can reminisce on the fun memories of creating the ornaments. It is also fun to see how the kids’ art/style changes over the years. One of our favorites is Creativity for Kids by Faber Castell. They have all of the materials you need to craft. We did the Crazy Christmas Sweater set. Everyone enjoyed getting creative and making their sweaters. Although our son was disappointed that they were only ornament-sized and he wasn’t able to wear it! Another fun set is the Hide & Seek Rock Painting kit. We painted a few of the rocks in the kit and shared some with our neighbor friends. Each of us plans to “hide’ the rock in a place that others can see to brighten other people’s day.
We received items from Baby Tula, Corolle, Educational Insights, Faber Castell, Feltman Brothers, Wonder and Wise for review. All of our thoughts and ideas are our own.
